SAN DIEGO -- The Metropolitan Transit System Friday announced it has received nearly $4 million in federal grants to help improve its security.

The money from the Transportation Security Administration will largely be spent on a fiber-optic network that will upgrade and secure video feeds to the MTS security operations center.

"I think it's going to be a great boon to safety," said MTS Director of Security Bill Burke. "Because of the fact it'll allow us to let the system grow."

MTS has 253 cameras at transit centers, sending constant feeds to the security center. The federal money will allow more cameras to be added.

"By the end of the year we'll have 30 of our 53 stations," said MTS CEO Paul Jablonski. "It wasn't that long ago we had under a dozen."

The money will also help in adding cameras on busses. The MTS has 124 busses with cameras, but there will soon be 40 more. Right now, there are no cameras on the trolley cars, but that is coming soon.

The amount of money San Diego got was the third largest in the nation, in part because of the city's unusual situation with regard to national security, namely the border and military installations.

"We have a deep water port," said Michael Aguilar, Federal Security Director for the TSA. "We have an airport literally downtown; we have a nuclear reactor up north. These are all unique characteristics."

Crime on the transit system dropped last year after spiking in 2008. Robberies were down by 19 percent and thefts were down by 44 percent. Still, some riders said more security is needed.

"We need security," said rider Rita Joy. "There's a lot of fights that break out on the busses."

Rider Warren Tait agreed and said, "I've seen hostilities on the trolley … so yes, security is needed."

The MTS announcement was made several hours before a shooting on board a trolley train in the Chollas View area.